Kamut Pasta with Squash Flowers and Zucchini Purée

Pasta di Kamut con Fiori e Zucchine
Kamut is an old grain dating back to ancient Egypt. Wally and I became familiar with it during his holistic regimen. It can be eaten like wheat or any other grain – it makes robust bread and tastes good. You can also eat kamut pasta. Like any whole grain pasta, you have to cook it a little longer than its counterpart. This recipe uses kamut pasta, but you could substitute any whole grain pasta you desire – you could also use conventional pasta as well.
Ingredients for 2:
About 1/3 of a lb of Kamut spaghetti

50 Squash flowers

2 zucchini

2 T of pine nuts, toasted

A branch of fresh basil

Sea salt to taste

Extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic toes

Ground pepper (optional)
Preparation:

Bring a big pot of water to a boil.
In the meantime clean the zucchini and cut each one into four parts length-wise. Cut the middle parts containing the seeds. Just when the water is about to boil plunge them into the water for about 1-2 minutes. Drain (keep zucchini water for the pasta later), and then purée them with about an ounce of olive oil, the garlic, basil leaves, and pine nuts. Salt and [pepper] to taste. The purée you will use for the bottom of the plate is now done.
Throw the pasta into the zucchini water. Then prepare the squash flowers: rinse them carefully under the faucet and then cut them coarsely into smaller pieces. Then sauté those in a frying pan with olive oil, garlic, salt, and [pepper]. Cook at a high flame – the flowers release a lot of water, and the heat will dry them up quickly. When the pasta is barely al dente, sauté it with the squash flowers and then plate the pasta with flowers on top of the zucchini purée.

Buon appetito!